


I'll Take Care of You

by mikaylawrites



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:16:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23740684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikaylawrites/pseuds/mikaylawrites
Summary: “It’s alright darling, I’ve got you.” Cora falls ill and Robert cares for her.
Relationships: Cora Crawley & Phyllis Baxter, Cora Crawley/Robert Crawley
Comments: 1
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first story for Downton Abbey (I know I'm late to the game), so any feedback is appreciated.

When Baxter knocked on the door to undress her after dinner, Cora was sitting at her dressing table, holding her head in her hands. Since dressing for dinner she felt a dull ache form behind her eyes, spreading until she felt as if her entire head were in a vice. She had excused herself shortly after dinner ended, and had been sitting quietly trying to soothe her head ever since.

“Is everything alright, your ladyship?” Baxter spoke softly, as she always did, but Cora could hear the hint of worry in her voice. 

Cora lifted her head, turning to face Baxter. “I’m alright, just a nasty headache I’m afraid.” She stood and moved toward the bed so that Baxter could begin to undress her. 

“Would you like a bath, milady?” Baxter asked as she unbuttoned Cora’s gown.

“No, thank you,” Cora responded. “The sooner I can get into bed, the better.”

Baxter took extra time taking the pins out of her hair and brushing through it, careful not to jostle Cora’s head too much. When she finished braiding her hair, Baxter took the jar of Cora’s rose-scented hand cream and put a little bit on her own hands. She then began to gently massage the back of Cora’s neck, paying special attention to the base of her skull.

When Cora let out a soft moan, Baxter chuckled. “Is that helping?”

“Yes,” Cora sighed. “It’s helping very much, thank you.”

Baxter continued her ministrations in silence for a few minutes, and Cora felt some of the tension seep out of her shoulders. She let her eyes drift shut.

The next thing Cora knew, she was being shaken gently awake. She opened her eyes, realizing Baxter had stopped massaging her neck and now had a hand on her shoulder, rubbing it to wake her. When she looked up at their reflection in the mirror, Baxter was smiling kindly at her.

“I think it’s time we get you to bed, milady,” she said, walking over to turn down the duvet.

Cora stood, and immediately the world began to spin around her. She clutched the table in front of her to keep from falling. Baxter was at her side in an instant, one hand on her elbow and the other on the small of her back, guiding Cora to the bed.

“Should I call for Dr. Clarkson?” Baxter looked concerned as she tucked Cora into bed, smoothing the duvet unnecessarily.

“No, no, I’ll be alright,” Cora said, surprised at how weak her voice was. She supposed she hadn’t spoken much that night, and her throat was a little dry. “His lordship will be in soon, and he can take care of me.”

Baxter looked unconvinced, but did not argue for the sake of propriety. “At least let me get you something cool for your forehead. You’re rather warm.”

Cora did feel warm, now that she thought about it. When Baxter returned from the washroom and laid a damp towel across her brow, Cora couldn’t help but sigh. 

“Can I get you anything else, milady?” Baxter asked. Cora shook her head, and Baxter looked as if she were biting her tongue. “Alright. Please do ring for me if you need anything, no matter the time. Goodnight, milady.”

“Thank you Baxter, goodnight,” Cora croaked. Baxter turned to leave the room, shutting the door behind her as quietly as possible. 

Cora laid in bed, staring at the ceiling, fighting desperately to keep her eyes open. She wanted to be awake when Robert came in. He had looked somewhat concerned when she excused herself early, and she wanted to explain that it was just a headache. Now that she thought of it, however, it was not just a headache anymore. The pain had spread throughout her entire body, a dull ache pulsing in her muscles. She felt heavy and sluggish, and it was becoming harder and harder to keep her mind alert. 

After a few more minutes of struggling to stay awake, Cora finally heard the adjoining door creak open. Robert entered the room quietly, clearly unsure if she was awake. 

“Hello,” she said softly, and she watched a smile spread across his face. The smile began to fade as he took in the sight of her lying in bed, looking ghastly with the damp towel still on her forehead. He kneeled down on the floor beside her so he could inspect her more closely.

“Darling, what’s the matter?” She heard the same concern in his voice she had heard in Baxter’s. Was it that apparent how horrible she felt?

“I’m just tired, and I have a bit of headache,” she replied, trying to make her voice sound as normal as possible. “I had rather a long day at the hospital, and I’m not as young as I used to be.” Robert eyed the towel, looking skeptical. “Baxter noticed I wasn’t feeling well and she thought this might help soothe my headache. She was right, it seems. I’m already feeling a bit better.” 

Cora wasn’t sure why she was lying. If anything, she felt worse by the minute. Yet, ever since she recovered from the Spanish Flu, she was hesitant to tell Robert when she wasn’t feeling well. She knew how much he worried.

“Can I get you anything before we go to sleep?” Robert asked. 

Cora shook her head. “I really just want you to come to bed and hold me.” That part, at least, was true.

Robert did not have to be told twice. He stood, turned off Cora’s lamp, and crawled under the duvet with her before turning off his own. 

Cora rolled onto her side, stifling a groan as her sore muscles protested. Her pain subsided slightly as soon as Robert pulled her toward him, fitting her into his side. Robert brought one of his hands to rest against her back, and she laid one of hers on his chest. He gently kissed the top of her head, and began to run his hand up and down her back. If there was anything Robert knew, it was how to soothe her. It only took a few moments before she was snoring softly into his shoulder. 

When Cora woke, it was still dark and Robert was fast asleep beside her. She immediately knew something was wrong. Where she had been too warm earlier in the evening, she was now far too cold; it was all she could do to keep her teeth from chattering. There was also an unpleasant churning in her stomach. She lay still for a few moments, quietly shivering, before that churning gained a sense of urgency and she knew she was going to vomit. 

Jumping out of bed despite the ache in her muscles, Cora hurried to the washroom. She turned on a light as quickly as possible so she could search for something to vomit in. Without a second to spare, she grabbed the porcelain basin normally used for face washing and began emptying the contents of her stomach into it. It was only a moment or two before she was vaguely aware of Robert getting out of bed.

“Cora?” he asked, not fully awake yet. When he realized what was happening, he was at her side, making sure her hair was out of her face before beginning to rub her back. “It’s alright darling, I’ve got you.”

Cora had no idea how long she was sick for, but it felt like an eternity. There were tears streaming down her face, both from the energy she was exerting and the sheer unpleasantness of the situation. Her knees ached from kneeling on the tile floor. Robert’s hand on her back was the only thing grounding her, and she tried her best to focus on that. Eventually the heaving of her stomach slowed, giving her time to breath between the periodic retching. 

When it seemed that her stomach was finally empty, she set aside the basin and leaned back into Robert’s chest. He wrapped his arms around her, gently rocking her. They stayed in that position for some time while she willed her stomach to settle.

“We can’t stay here all night, my dear,” Robert said after a while. “And you can’t go back to bed like this.”

She did not need to ask what he meant. Her nightgown was soaked with perspiration, the hair that had come loose from her braid plastered to her face. The sour taste of vomit lingered in her mouth. “I’ll have to call Baxter to draw me a bath, I’m afraid I can hardly move” she murmured.

“No, no.” Robert’s voice was firm. “I’ll take care of you; Baxter can’t lift you.”

“Neither can you, Robert,” she retorted with as much strength as she could muster. He was not long recovered from his stomach surgery, and his strength was not what it used to be. 

“Nonsense, you hardly weigh nine stone soaking wet. You stay right here, I’ll be back.”

Robert returned after a few moments with a clean nightgown and her hairbrush. He set them aside before turning the tap to start running Cora’s bath. “Alright, darling, up you get.”

He reached out both hands for Cora to grab hold of. She took them, Robert baring most of the weight as he pulled her up off the floor. Robert immediately wrapped an arm around her waist, giving her time to steady herself. When he seemed certain that she would not fall over, he relinquished his hold on her to help her out of her nightgown and take the ribbon out of her hair. If Cora thought she was cold before, she was absolutely frozen when her damp skin came in contact with the night air. She did not have to remain cold for long though, as Robert quickly turned off the tap and helped her into the tub, allowing her to lean on him heavily.

“Is the temperature alright?” Robert asked. Cora hummed in response. “Close your eyes, Cora,” he instructed, filling a jug with water and gently pouring it over her head. Next, he began to shampoo her hair, his fingers carefully massaging her scalp. It felt heavenly, and it elicited a noise from her that could only be described as a purr. Robert chuckled. After rinsing out the shampoo, he grabbed a bar of soap. She moved gingerly so that he could wash all of her, allowing him to manipulate her body however he needed to. When it was all done he let her soak in the bath for a bit, the water soothing her sore muscles. “How are you feeling?” he inquired, reaching to push a curl off of her forehead. 

“Exhausted,” she answered truthfully. That was the only way to describe it. She felt as if all the energy had been zapped from her body, leaving her unable to do anything but breathe.

“Well then, I think we should go back to bed, my love.” 

Cora nodded, allowing Robert to help her out of the bath. That small amount of effort was enough to leave her panting. Robert reached for a towel, drying her skin and wringing out her hair. He then pulled the clean nightgown over her head.

“One last thing, and then we can get you to bed.” He pulled up a chair, helping her to sit in it. Retrieving the hairbrush and ribbon from where he had set them aside earlier. It was not often that Robert brushed her hair, but it was a feeling Cora relished. Somehow, it felt much more intimate than many of the other moments they had shared over the years. Once her hair was thoroughly brushed through, Robert began to braid it.

“Where did you learn to braid hair?” Cora laughed incredulously.

“I am a man of many talents,” he replied as he tied off the end of the braid with the ribbon. Coming around to stand in front of her, Robert placed one hand on her back and slid the other under her knees. She understood what he meant to do, and so she wrapped her arms around his neck. He lifted off the chair, grunting slightly, and carried her back to their bed. Depositing her gently on the mattress, he pulled the duvet up to her chest. After turning off lights and shutting doors, he crawled in beside her.

This time, Cora faced away from Robert, curling into herself. Her belly still ached and laying in any other position would make it worse. Robert seemed to understand, so he curled himself around her, placing a hand on her stomach, tenderly rubbing circles.

“I’m going to call for Clarkson in the morning,” he said into her hair.

“Robert, you needn’t -”

“Yes, I do need to,” he interjected, his tone adding finality to his words. “I won’t watch you suffer in silence just because you don’t want to worry me.”

So he had caught on to her earlier lie. She shouldn’t be surprised - after thirty odd years of marriage she found that he could often read her better than she could read herself. “Thank you for taking care of me,” she murmured. The combination of his warm weight against her back and the sensation of his hand on her belly made her eyelids droop. “I love you, Robert.”

“I love you, Cora,” he whispered, kissing the back of her head. “Now go to sleep.”

And so, she did.


	2. Chapter 2

Cora was already sitting up when Baxter brought breakfast in. It was the fourth day of her convalescence, and she   
was itching to get out of her room. Dr. Clarkson had diagnosed her with a mixture of stress and a stray virus. Whatever it was, it completely laid her out, leaving her unable to do much of anything but lie in bed and stare at the ceiling. Today, however, she felt much better. She could still sense a weakness in her muscles, but she thought at the very least she could get up and walk around. That is, if Robert would allow it. 

He had already gone down to breakfast, promising to come and check on her once he was done. There had hardly been a spare moment of the past three days that he hadn’t been with her. Between every meal and estate meeting and trip to town he stopped in her room to see how she was feeling. Sometimes he had longer to spend with her and he would climb on top of the duvet, reading to her or holding her head in his lap while she slept. She secretly liked having Robert fuss over her; he knew exactly how to make her feel loved when she wasn’t feeling well. Nevertheless, three days was more than enough time to be coddled, and she was starting to feel a bit stagnant. 

“How are you feeling this morning, your ladyship?” Baxter asked, setting the tray on Cora’s lap.

“I’m feeling much better, thank you. In fact, I think I’d like to get dressed today,” Cora replied.

Baxter paused for a moment, clearly deciding the best way to proceed. “Are you sure -”

“Yes, I am sure,” Cora interrupted, leaving no room for argument. She softened when she took in Baxter’s uneasy expression. “I just want to go for a walk and get some fresh air. Surely that can’t hurt after lying in this room for days.”

Baxter seemed to relax a little, walking toward the door. “Alright, milady. Ring for me when you’re ready.” She closed the door behind her, leaving Cora alone.

It took longer than usual to get dressed, Baxter taking extra care to be gentle with her. It touched Cora’s heart to think of the tenderness the other woman had shown her over the past few days. When Baxter had finished Cora’s hair, moving to set the brush and extra pins back on the dressing table, Cora laid a hand on her wrist. 

“Thank you, Baxter. For everything,” she said, hoping that Baxter understood her meaning.

Baxter smiled, the softness in her eyes communicating that she did. “Of course, milady.”

A few minutes after Baxter left again, Robert knocked on the door. Cora bade him to come in, but he paused in the doorway, taken aback at seeing her up and dressed. 

“What are you doing out of bed?” he asked. 

Cora stood, smiling. “You’re going to take me on a walk.”

“Cora…”

“Robert, I’ve laid in bed for days, barely able to lift a finger. Now that my energy is returning, I’d like to use it.” She crossed her arms over her chest, indicating that she would not back down. “It doesn’t have to be a long walk; I’d just like to be reminded of what the sun looks like.”

She could tell he was exasperated, but he also knew better than to argue. “Alright darling, if that’s what you want. But promise you’ll tell me if you get too tired?”

“I promise,” she nodded. He held out his arm for her to take hold of, and together they walked through the hall, down the stairs, and out the front door. 

Cora took a deep breath when they stepped outside, the sun already warm on her skin. She let Robert lead, taking them on the same path they had been walking since the early months of their marriage. They were both quiet for a long while.

She looked over at Robert and saw a slight crease in his brow. “What are you thinking about?” she asked.

“Nothing of importance,” he answered, not making eye contact. Cora knew he was lying.

“All of your thoughts are important to me,” she said gently. 

Robert sighed. “Do you think I’ve been a good husband to you?”

That nearly stopped Cora in her tracks. “What? Robert, why would you ask me that?”

“It’s just - oh, I don’t know. I’ve been so worried about you these past few days and it’s made me wonder if I’ve done enough for you - if I’ve been enough for you.” His voice wavered as he trailed off.

They were nearing a bench, so Cora pulled Robert over to it, not letting go of his arm when they sat. “I don’t understand where this is coming from. You’ve doted on me nearly every minute of the day, how could that not be enough?”

“I don’t mean just now.” He shook his head, and when he looked at her his eyes were full of emotion. “When we married, your father made me promise that his money would take care of you for the rest of your life, that I would take care of you for the rest of your life. We made you sign that money away, and then I lost it, and now I question if I’ve kept that promise at all.”

“Oh, my love, you don’t need money to take care of me,” she sighed, cupping her face with her hand. “And I’m not even sure you need to take care of me at all. We’re partners in all of this, aren’t we? I never wanted a husband who felt like it was his duty to look after me. I wanted someone to share my life with.” She smiled, her thumb stroking his cheek. “You’ve given me that.”

“Do you mean that?” he asked. When she nodded, he leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together. “I love you, my darling. I love sharing this life with you.”

They stayed that way for a few moments, neither feeling a need to move. It was only when Cora stifled a yawn that Robert jumped to action.

“We should get you inside,” he urged, helping her up off the bench. “The last thing I want is for you to overexert yourself when you were just getting better.”

Robert wanted to bring her back to her bedroom as soon as they got back to the house so that she could lie down for a while. Cora begged him to go to the library, so that he might read to her instead. He conceded, so long as she promised to rest. That was how Cora found herself on the settee, leaning back against Robert, their legs extended out in front of them. He had one arm draped across her chest, the other being used to hold up a well-worn copy of Pride and Prejudice. She clasped his arm with both hands, fitting her head against the crook of his neck. Her eyes drifted shut as she timed her breathing to his. 

“‘In vain I have struggled, it will not do,’’” Robert read. They had slowly been working their way through the novel for the past few days and had left off just before one of her favorite parts in the story. “‘My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.’” He paused, checking to see if she had fallen asleep. 

“Go on,” she murmured, opening an eye. “I’m still awake.” He chuckled, kissing her forehead. 

And so, he kept reading, retelling Darcy’s proposal and Elizabeth’s refusal. His voice was soft and steady, lulling her into a deep relaxation. She really was tired, although she would not admit that to Robert. Instead she fought off sleep, content to pass the afternoon wrapped in her husband’s arms, feeling very well taken care of indeed.


End file.
